Parish lobbies for grant money to make repairs

Thursday

Hubbardston’s first meetinghouse was built in 1773. In 1842 a room was built under the building, and oxen turned the building so it would face the main road rather than the cemetery.

Although no longer a meetinghouse, the structure still graces the Common these days as the First Parish Unitarian Church of Hubbardston. The building houses an 1833 bell made by George Holbrook, who was an apprentice of Paul Revere, and a town-owned clock made in 1807 by Abel Stowell, who was a renowned Worcester clockmaker.

The church is etched in glass at Charlie Clark Corner and is also part of the logo for the Hubbardston Business Association. It is also on the National Registry of Historic Places.

“It’s one of the first things you see when you pull into town,” said Lori Prentiss, parish committee member. “Our hope is people see the value of bringing back the former beauty of this icon,” she continued.

She was referring to two warrant articles at town meeting next week to pay for repairs to the church. The parish is working to get the articles passed in the face of opposition from the town’s Finance Committee.

Carol Whitney, another parish committee member, noted that the church is also used by the community.

“It is used for a pancake breakfast to benefit local scholarships. The town uses it for Memorial Day for the flag pole on the Common, the local Moms Club meets there, Hubbardston Community Theatre has held auditions and practices there, and the Girl Scouts have used the church for sleepovers. It’s gotten to be more of a community church,” she said. “The vestry has also been used for baby and bridal showers, as well as after funerals.”

Town meeting voters will be faced Tuesday with several articles to repair and renovate this icon.

On the warrant are two articles requesting the use of Community Preservation Act money to do steeple, bell, tower, roof masonry work and painting at the church.

The church was last painted in the late 1990s. The roof was repaired about five years ago. Work on the steeple was begun Tuesday with money already received from the Massachusetts Historical Commission and from the church’s own coffers.

One town meeting article will request approval of the borrowing of $55,000 for these repairs, with the money being repaid by future Community Preservation Act grants over the next five years.

The second article will ask voters to appropriate $5,768.18 from the Community Preservation Act Historic Resources Reserve Account and $14,231.82 from the budgeted reserve account to pay for the repairs.

The Finance Committee has voted to recommend against both of these articles.

“We fit every criteria for CPA requirements for a grant. We are forging right ahead and talking to everyone. We have also tried to explain it to the Finance Committee,” Ms. Whitney said.

Ms. Prentiss added: “There is a lot of confusion about the CPA funds and the way they are to be used.”

Among the Finance Committee’s concerns is that if the Community Preservation Act is voted out, the town may be bonded for money used on a private building.

But Mrs. Whitney said that the only way the act could be voted out is through a citizen petition and then a vote, both “very unlikely.”

She continued that even if the act was ended, money would still be levied until bonded projects started under the act were paid for.

If town meeting agrees to the warrant articles, all of the repairs and renovations needed for the church can be done, the women said.

“We’re hoping to have the contractor who is here to forge forward. If he comes back it will be more expensive. It is easier to do it all at once than in bits and pieces, which will cost more money,” Ms. Prentiss said.

The church will hold an open house at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. On hand will be Jay Murray of Murray Brothers Construction Co. of Leominster, and architect Phil Warbasse and members of the historical commission.

All will be available to answer questions. Tours of the church will be given and refreshments will be served.

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